Menu

Tag Archives: Handbag

This is a great solid brass grommet with a brass finish to use for handbags. When set it have a 1/2″ opening, It is first quality, made in the USA, brass finish. Please note, you will need a setting tool to install these grommets, either a hammer and anvil or a die press.

Metal corners add a nice finishing touch to a purse flap or wallet. One of my customers advised me that there is a bit of a learning curve involved in applying them. So, I thought I should write a tutorial to demonstrate a fairly easy way to install them.

Your project, ie, a purse flap or wallet on which to apply the corners.
A strong, clear craft glue. I use E 6000, GS Hypo Cement also works well.

A Q-Tip

A hammer. You can use a wooden or hard rubber mallet if you prefer, I just use a regular old (and I think it really is old!) carpentry hammer, straight out of the toolbox.

A block of wood, a soft wood, like pine, works best.

Lay out the metal corners on your work table and identify the front and back sides:

As you can see, the front side has a smooth, finished look. The back has two flanges at right angles to each other.

Now, put a drop of glue inside each corner:

With your Q-Tip, spread the glue around the inside of each corner, giving them a thin, even coat. Put them aside and allow the glue to set up for about 10 minutes. After waiting 10 minutes or so the glue will still be tacky, but not oozy (is that even a word?)

Now, take the corners and position them on your project. In my case, it is a purse flap. Put them so that the front side is on the front of the flap, and the back side is on the back (I know, you didn’t need me to tell you that!):

When the corner of your project piece is firmly sandwiched in the metal flap corner, take your block of wood and position it over just one of the flanges, like this:

Now, hit the wood with your hammer. Don’t be afraid to hit it pretty hard. If you’re using a soft wood it won’t scratch the corner:

Now, this will have bent one of the flanges inward, tightly enfolding your flap. This is what it will look like with just one of the flanges bent in:

Now, turn your project ninety degrees and repeat the process on the other flange:

When you’re done, it will look like this on the back:

… and like this on the front:

Now, just repeat the process on the other side, and you’re done!

Here’s the finished product. Front:

… and back:

I think it came out well. Now I just need to find the time to make a purse to which I can attach this lovely flap!

I like doing these tutorials. It gives me a guilt-free reason to sew. Although the tutorial part of it slows down the actual sewing considerably…having to take a picture at every step. Realizing I’ve forgotten to take picture of an important step, and therefore having to re-do the step, slows things down even more! Oh well, I’ll get the hang of it … I hope.